off-season training on skateboards

[tpalka]

I only started to snowboard in March, and all I got in was about 8-9 days.... but had a great time doing it. Now that the river is low, I miss the snow, and started getting ready for the next season. Friends introduced me to the Loaded Vanguard skateboard, and I've been trying to carve on some asphalt roads in the neighborhood. Still tentative about picking up a lot of speed, but this past weekend I finally got the basics.

I was wondering if anyone would have tips on things to try, things to do, posture or technique that would carry over to the snowboard carving world?

I posted some pictures and videos of this past weekend (warning: home productions) on my site, http://www.slackerdom.com/2004/09_skate/index.html -- hopefully someone, still in the mode of getting into work after the long weekend, will take a peek and tell me what I could be doing better :)

Thank you,


tom.

[joecarve]

Looks like you're leading your turns with your shoulders (and looking ahead of the turn), which is great! Work on bending your knees more, as well as unweighting on the transitions. See the crossover-crossunder article (http://www.bomberonline.com//articles/cross_over.cfm) (same thing on asphalt). Cross-over is what you want to work on first; I actually taught myself cross-under turns on a skateboard. Also work on riding with your back foot rotated more forward, closer to the angle of your front foot (you'll end up adjusting your snowboard binding angles to match).

You might want to poke around NCDSA (http://www.ncdsa.com) as well - plenty of useful stuff there for just general skating technique. You just have to wade through the forums a bit. BTW, footbraking is a handy skill - doesn't apply to snow, but adds safety on aphalt...search on ncdsa for info on it.

You'll be amazed how much better your snowboarding will be at the beginning of this season compared to the end of last after skating over the summer.

joe...

[tpalka]

Thank you, Joe -- I will re-read Jack's article. I read it last season, and I'm due for a re-read :) I got a few other suggestions about bending the knees more -- I'll do that, practice cross unders/overs, and wait for snow. Thanks again,


tom.